Key still the key, in new Cadillac XTS
Graceful sloping rear pillar sets off the classy new Cadillac XTS .full-size sedan.
By John Gilbert
My son, Jack, and I had to take a little trip, and since I had two test-drive cars at my disposal at the time, I chose the one that would get better fuel economy. That meant we were going to leave behind a Cadillac XTS Platinum Collection sedan.
Now, most people might figure that was a bad move, because the XTS is the new full-size car from Cadillac, coming out as a 2013 model in a year that is big — and about to get bigger — for Cadillac, with the new compact ATS on the verge of winning the North American Car of the Year award in a few weeks. And who could mind being pampered in all that super-luxury of the XTS?
In General Motors version of downsizing, the XTS replaces the STS and all Caddies larger than that, including the DeVille, topping the new stable that is led by the CTS, with the new ATS eagerly joining on the bottom end.
Nevertheless, equipped with GM’s corporate 3.6-liter V6, with 304 horsepower and264 foot-pounds of torque, the front-wheel-drive XTS can be figured to get mid-20s fuel economy at best, and with the all-wheel-drive option, probably less. So we left it behind, in all its plushness, and drove away. I left word for my wife, Joan, who drives everything that comes into the driveway of the Gilbert Compound, that she should drive the XTS as much as possible and let me know her impressions when we returned.
Among its many features, the XTS has keyless entry, and, of course, push-button ignition. I have expressed my opinions frequently about push-button ignitions, as a solution for which there is no problem. I like the idea of being able to unlock your doors with a touch of the key-fob, but once inside the car, it seems to me that since you need the key to be with you in order to activate the push-button start, then you might as well use the key in the ignition. Besides, when you don’t need the key, it’s easy to let someone accompany you to a destination and turn over the driving responsibilities while you go your merry way with the key still safely in your pocket. But I digress. Actually, though, it is not a digression.
So there we were, driving across Wisconsin, when my cell phone rang. It was Joan. We’ve got a problem, she started, with one of those veteran-marital “we” collectives that meant she had a problem, but was more than eager to share it.
In FWD, or AWD, the new XTS shares a family similarity from the front.
Because of the keyless ignition, and her concerns about leaving the key someplace, she set it in the cup-holder of the XTS and prepared to drive into town. Joan is pretty active, and she often goes for brisk walks along the North Shore of Lake Superior. She thought she’d probably take a walk on her way back, so she went back to the house to get her walking shoes. When she returned to the car, she thought she’d put her shoes and her jacket, in the trunk. Good move. She slammed the trunklid down, and it closed with a nice, classy “thunk.” Bad move.
As she heard the trunk close securely, she walked around to the driver’s door — and found it was locked. So were all the other doors.
Incredibly, she realized, closing the trunklid automatically and electronically locked all four doors. And the trunk. She was locked out, and the keys were safely inside, in the cup-holder. That’s when she called me. For a few miles, we wracked our brains, but could come up with no solutions. Then I thought of OnStar — GM’s exclusive customer-nanny that could direct you anywhere by GPS. Read more
Domestic optimism rises at Detroit show
Seventh-generation Corvette provided a big lift for GM at the Detroit Auto Show.
By John Gilbert
DETROIT, MICH. — Domestic automakers should have a big home-field advantage at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show, and they certainly did, kicking off the press preview days of the show, which runs through January 27, by sweeping the Car of the Year and Truck/Utility of the Year awards, after claiming four of the six finalist slots.
The Cadillac ATS claimed the North American Car of the Year honors, beating out the Honda Accord, while the Ford Fusion — once the odds-on favorite — slipped to third because of a combination of production recalls, delays in introducing its plug-in hybrid, and gripes about its connectivity system. With the 49 jury members allotting 10 points among finalists, the ATS wound up with 207 points, the Accord 159 and the Fusion 124.
Chrysler Group, LLC, was represented by the Ram 1500 full-size pickup truck, which had an even more substantial edge in winning the North American Truck/Utility of the Year. The Ram piled up 261 points to outdistance the Mazda CX-5, with 142, and the Ford C-Max, with 87. The CX-5 is an entirely new compact crossover SUV with Mazda’s technologically advanced Skyactiv drivetrain, and the C-Ma is a small utility wagon powered by only a hybrid or all-electric drivetrain, and while both met the new guidelines of the independent jury’s combined truck and utility segment, jury board members commented that voters obviously were attracted to the fact that the Ram was a “real” truck.
"Don't call me Dodge" Ram 1500 outpointed the Mazda CX-5 and Ford C-Max to win Truck/Utility of the Year.
Both award winners are comparatively traditional, with the Ram powered by either the Hemi V8 or a new Pentastar V6, while the compact Cadillac ATS has either a V6 with rear-drive, or a turbocharged 4. They were in stark contrast to the other two finalists in both car and truck competition, which featured high-tech high-mileage options — as did the array of flashy new vehicles displayed during the two press preview days at Cobo Hall. Vehicles from all over the world emphasized futuristic electric or electrically-boosted vehicles with high mileage potential.
Among the highlights were an all-new compact CLA from Mercedes, a downsized “4-door coupe” shape with a 211-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder and a stunning drag coefficient of 0.22, which the company claims is best in the industry. A revised 4-Motion system and a collision-prevention assist will be features. The CLA will be widely promoted at the Super Bowl — which, incidentally, will be played in New Orleans, at a facility now known as the “Mercedes-Benz Superdome.” Mercedes is also unveiling the revised E-Class mid-range sedan and a new S-Class luxury car. The E-Class will come in coupe, convertible and sedan, and also returns as a station wagon, as well as a high-performing AMG E-63. BMW introduced the 4-Series, which will become the name for all 3-Series coupes and convertibles, and its MINI division displayed a Cooper-Works sporty version of its 4-door Clubman. Read more
About the Author
John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
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